Safety recommendation
It is recommended that the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists should provide guidance on the information that should be provided during referral to early pregnancy units to standardise and improve the flow of information required to identify those most at risk from ectopic pregnancy and any consequent deterioration
Response:
We were very concerned to hear about any missed ectopic pregnancy as the complications are very serious and can be life threatening.
Early diagnosis and treatment is crucial, and more could be done to improve early detection methods and raise awareness of the symptoms so women and their clinicians can recognise that something is wrong as soon as possible.
It is also essential that information between health professionals is shared in a streamlined and efficient fashion during referral to early pregnancy units so action can be taken swiftly.
We acknowledge HSIB’s safety recommendation in the report and we will include it in the next update of our guidance which is currently underway. We will also work with the Royal College of Emergency Medicine to ensure consistency of approach across all acute settings.
Symptoms of ectopic pregnancy can include vaginal bleeding, abdominal pain, shoulder tip pain and discomfort going to the toilet. Women presenting with these symptoms and a positive pregnancy test should be offered referral to a local early pregnancy unit for ongoing care.
We have information for women and their families about ectopic pregnancy on our website, including symptoms, when to seek advice, risks and diagnosis and treatment options. The information is also available in a print and audio leaflet.
We are updating the RCOG Green-top Guideline (no 21) on the Diagnosis and Management of Ectopic Pregnancy to include the information that should be provided during referral to early pregnancy units.
This information standardises and improves the flow of information required to identify those most at risk from ectopic pregnancy and any consequent deterioration. It is expected the guideline will be published during 2023.
Response received on 16 December 2021.